System and Method for Reducing Return Errors

1. A system, comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises program instructions for executing: an error reduction component of a tax preparation software application, the error reduction component configured to: receive user-supplied financial information for a tax return to be filed with a tax authority for an entity; send a request to the tax authority for entity tax information associated with the entity, wherein the entity tax information is obtained from the tax authority and associated with a particular tax year; in response to the request, receive the entity tax information from the tax authority; prior to filing the tax return on behalf of the entity to the tax authority: determine one or more differences between a portion of the user-supplied financial information and a corresponding portion of the entity tax information received from the tax authority; and send a correction request in a certified communication to the tax authority to correct at least one of the one or more differences between the portion of the user-supplied financial information and the corresponding portion of the entity tax information received from the tax authority, wherein the communication has been certified by the tax authority as received from the tax preparation software application.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the error reduction component is further configured to: provide to a user an interface for modifying the user-supplied information in order to reconcile the one or more differences.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more differences comprises: presenting to a user a portion of the entity tax information; and receiving a response from the user, wherein the response indicates that the portion of the entity tax information is different than a corresponding portion of user-supplied financial information.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said entity tax information is associated with a particular tax entity.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said user-supplied financial information is tax information associated with a user.

6. A computer-implemented method executable by a processor, the method comprising: receiving user-supplied financial information for a tax return to be filed with a tax authority for an entity, sending a request to the tax authority for entity tax information associated with the entity for a particular tax year, wherein the entity tax information is obtained from the tax authority; in response to the request, receiving the entity tax information from the tax authority; and prior to filing the tax return on behalf of the entity to the tax authority: determining one or more differences between a portion of the user-supplied financial information and a corresponding portion of the entity tax information received from the tax authority; and sending a correction request in a certified first communication to the tax authority to correct at least one of the one or more differences between the portion of the user-supplied financial information and the corresponding portion of the entity tax information received from the tax authority, wherein the first communication has been certified by the tax authority as received by the tax authority.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising: providing to a user an interface for modifying the user-supplied financial information in order to reconcile the one or more differences.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein said determining comprises: presenting to a user a portion of the entity tax information; and receiving a response from the user, wherein the response indicates whether the portion of the entity tax information is different than a corresponding portion of user-supplied financial information.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein said entity tax information is associated with a particular tax entity.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein said user-supplied financial information is tax information associated with a user.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising program instructions computer-executable to implement: receiving user-supplied financial information for a return to be filed with a tax authority for an entity; sending a request for entity tax information associated with the entity, wherein the entity tax information is obtained from the tax authority and associated with a particular time period; in response to the request, receiving the entity tax information; and prior to filing the tax return to the tax authority for the entity: determining one or more differences between a portion of the user-supplied financial information and a corresponding portion of the entity tax information; and sending a correction request in a certified communication to the tax authority to correct at least one of the one or more differences between the portion of the user-supplied financial information and the corresponding portion of the entity tax information received from the tax authority, wherein the communication has been certified by the tax authority as received by the tax authority.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement: providing to a user an interface for modifying the user-supplied financial information in order to reconcile the one or more differences.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein said determining comprises: presenting to a user a portion of the entity tax information; and receiving a response from the user, wherein the response indicates that the portion of the entity tax information is different than a corresponding portion of user-supplied financial information.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein said entity tax information is associated with a particular tax entity.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein said user-supplied financial information is tax information associated with a user.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement a tax preparation application.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising: notifying a user of the one or more differences; requesting input from the user to resolve the one or more differences; and receiving the input from the user.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , further comprising: generating revised entity tax information using the input from the user to resolve the one or more differences.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , further comprising: sending the revised entity tax information in a certified second communication to the tax authority.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , further comprising: updating the user-supplied financial information using the input from the user to resolve the one or more differences.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , further comprising: notifying the tax authority of the one or more differences.